DarkLeftArm

Very cool, guys. I'll decide what to dump in tonight. I'll sleep on it. Thanks again. Bert

Slab Ryder: What was your mileage when your clutch started slipping? Steve Crossley: What is in them from the factory? friesman: Thanks for the headsup. Syl: Maybe synthetic would be OK?

Hi, fellas. If you followed up on my last post, you know that I dragged home another project. http://www.venturerider.org/forum/showthread.php?t=65645 Now here is my question: Did Yamaha use a special break-in oil, or should I just dump in whatever I plan to run in the future? I like synthetic, since these things don't leak, but with less than 100 miles, I'm afraid the break-in period will be affected by the extra slipperiness of the synthetic stuff. Maybe some plain ol' dino oil for the first couple changes, then synth? Oh, yeah... Here's a pic. Not a great shot, but you get the idea. Once again, thank you for your time and wisdom. Bert

OK... We are back. Now the story can be told. We live in Tucson, AZ, and I found this bike on craigslist in Monterey, CA. The seller had posted a stock photo from Yamaha, and only had a phone # for a contact. My partner, Susan & I called and then emailed with Gail, the seller's significant other. After talking with her quite a bit, we decided they were sincere, and not scammers. We headed there on Wed. last week, and got to actually load it on Friday morning. Turns out that it is a 2007 that was parked as soon as it was purchased new. Apparently, the guy bought it and immediately became intimidated by it. The right front engine bar has a little rash on it, looking like it may have had a minor mishap. It was stored under a heavy canvas cover in a carport. It has 28 miles on the odometer. My son, Frank & I unloaded it this morning, and he helped me fiddle with it all day. When we drained the tank, I was astounded to find that the gas still smelled like new. I believe that the manufacturer added fuel stabilizer to the gas when they built it, not knowing how long it might sit around until it sold. Nevertheless, I removed the tank, and drained it completely. I took out the completely dead battery, and it looked so new that I hooked up the charger. It just sat there for awhile, and then it started taking a charge. after a couple hours, the amps started to drop, so we put it back in and hooked it up. I decided to leave the oil alone, thinking that break in oil was probably in there, and it looked brand new through the sight glass. With the bike in high gear, I shoved it, and was able to turn the engine over with relative ease. What the heck... I hit the starter, and after a very little cranking time, it started right up. Sounds like a brand new bike. All 4 cyls hitting right away, as per the cold start fingertip test. The tires look brand new, of course, and were around 20 psi, so I inflated them, and will run them cautiously to see how they do. If it will stop raining today, We will take a maiden voyage to the DMV for plates, and then to the dealership to register the warranty. After calling my local Yamaha dealership with the VIN#, they tell me it is under warranty until 2015. I can't figure this, unless he bought some kind of extended warranty. We shall see . The way I see it, the warranty would last until 2012. I won't be looking that horse in the mouth. The only downside I can see to my story is that due to its proximity to the pacific ocean, some of the chrome is pitted. After going after the rusty spots with some fine steel wool and WD40, I have been impressed with how well it is coming out. The slip on pipes are the worst, and we'll probably be replacing them anyway. The rest, I will mess around with. I may resort to sanding and painting some minor trim, or even powder coating. Last resort, maybe rechroming, or even replacing. Pretty minor stuff, I think, considering that otherwise, the Midnight Venture appears to be brand new. That's my story, and I'm stickin' to it. Now, for my questions... When you all convince me to change the oil, what should I use? Can I use synthetic now? What about synthetic lube in the rear drive? Sorry for this monster post. Thanks for your patience. Bert

Thank you all for all the good advice! Our car is going into the shop on Friday to have a trailer hitch installed, and I'm gonna "borrow" my trailer back from my kid! haha. We will be picking up the RSV next Thursday, and when we come back, I'll have a story for you. I promise! Stay tuned. Thanks again. Bert

That is good news. Actually, all the pics I could find had the bowls off. Can I acess them without removing the carbs? Thanks. Bert

Thanks for all your responses, fellas. The deal with this bike is that it is in another city. I'm considering flying there, getting it running, and riding it 800 miles home. All my tools and stuff like hoses, funnels, gas cans are snug in the garage here. After reading and looking at all your excellent carb tech articles, I have deduced that the float bowels don't have a drain plug. Was hoping for one I could access without removing carbs. So... You think I should be OK just draining the tank, and letting whatever is left in the carbs flow through? Is there any chance the carbs could have evaporated dry in 4 years? If so, it might be OK if the floats don't stick in the bottom of the bowls, huh? Also thinking of trailering it behind my car on a flatbed. I think riding the bike home would be fun, but I wonder if it would be better to wait to start it till it is safe at home.

Hello, everybody. I've been lurking here for a few days now. Ever since my girlfriend informed me that we need a different bike than our Roadstar if we are gonna go very far. Seems the Roadie's ride is just a tad tough on her tush. Also, we want hard bags, fairing, overdrive, cruise, etc. etc. You all know where this is heading. I have been looking for a few days now, and I have found a 2004 RSV that has been covered inside a garage since 2007. Seems the guy bought it, then promptly lost interest. Fast forward to now. We plan to buy it. I know about what has happened in these years. The battery is probably dead as a doornail, the oil needs changed, the tires may be flat, may even need replaced... My big fear is the gas. I know the tank needs drained, as do the carbs... Think I'll get away with that? Or will the carbs need to be removed and gone through? I know that when I decide to fire up one of my old cars, I need to mess with the carb, but there's only 1, and it's right on top. I'm not intimidated by the prospect, just rather not disturb them if I don't need to. In reading your fine forum here this morning, I found that the float levels are probably too high, and need adjustment anyway, but for now I'd like to just get to know the bike before tearing into it. Thanks for any advice you can give me. Bert